A Key to the Forset: Serching For Hope
by Piratestar
Summary: Join Rainpaw and Cleverpaw on a trip to the past as they find secerates to their beloved forest and more!
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Clans:**_

A black she-cat looked nervously over her shoulder. It was a dark night; the only light came from the full moon bathing the rest of the forest in a soft blanket of light. She obviously saw nothing and kept going deeper into the forest. Her paw steps were light but purposeful. She was small which made the impression that she was no older than eight moons old. The light of the moon was suddenly cut off and the she-cat looked nervously up. Her eyes grew wide…

A gray tom sat up, her eyes were wide and scared. His eyes looked at his best friend, Cleverpaw as she sat up, his brown fur glinting in the moons rays.

"What's up, Rainpaw?" she asked groggily.

"Nothing." He said, it was nearly sunrise and he decided he wouldn't get any more sleep so he slipped out of the apprentice's den. Cleverpaw followed him.

"Ready for training already?" Came a voice from the other side of the glade. It was Cleverpaw's mentor, Redclaw. He trotted over to them.

Cleverpaw mewed a happy greeting to the brave warrior and gave him a respectful lick on the sholder when he sat down beside her.

"Well if your up already Cleverpaw, lets head down to the training ditch and practice. Your welcome to come too Rainpaw." He said, "I heard that Leaftail was going to take the dawn patrol, he asked if I'd take you."

Riverpaw smiled and said, "Lets get going then!" The two apprentices followed Redclaw down away from the sheltering forest and down to a sheltered ditch that leveled out when they reached the bottom.

"Show me what you've got." Redcalw said sitting down to watch. The two friends circled eachother waiting for the other to strike first. Nether of them seamed to want to make the first move. Finally Rainpaw darted forward and swiped, or tried to swipe Cleverpaws head. She was to fast and his paw hit thin air. She then got on top of him saying playfully, "You'll never get me."

"Oh yea?" He asked and flipped over on his side pinning her down. Soon Redclaw called for them to stop. The two looked at eachother pleased.

Later that day there was a call from the rottentree. "Let all cats who are old enough to catch their own pry come for a clan meating!"

Cats came from dens and looked up at their clan leader, a kind looking orange she-cat. She said, "It is the full moon once more and These are the cats who will be representing our clan there. "Blueclaw, Silverfur, Liontail, Redclaw, Rainpaw and Cleverpaw."

Rainpaw glanced at orangepaw and Leappaw glaring at him across the clearing. He smiled mockingly at them and turned back to his leader who was heading out of camp with the ones she had called. He fell into step beside Cleverpaw and said, "This should be an interesting gathering." He said excitedly.

"Not to mention our first." Cleverpaw pointed out.

The sentence made his paws tingle with excitment and he asked, "Do you think we should ask Skystar what we should do?"

Cleverpaw looked at him, "She's clan leader she'll tell us something if we need to hear it, but I bet we'll hear it all at the gathering."

**So here it is, hope you liked it! I'll update soon. PLEASE REVEW!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

The gathering was interesting just as they had said it would be. The other three clans were already there. Skystar jumped up onto the bolder in the middle of the clearing. "Duskcaln wishes to speak first." Her clear voice rang through the clearing. Cleverpaw and Rainpaw sat down next to each other looking at there leader with pride and anticipation. She began speaking again, "Starclan is uneasy." She began, " I think… that pray will be scarce this new-leaf, We should make a truce until Starclan sees we can work together as one." There was a burst of out rage at this suggestion. "Why should any clan make a truce with another!"

"Why would any cat make a truce?"

" Its uncatlike!"

" That's true." Cleverpaw whispered. Rainpaw shrugged, he was to busy thinking of what could cause Skystar to say such a thing.

Skystar waited for the clans to setle down and then continued. "Starclan visited, Fadedstripe, our medicine cat two days ago in a vision. It showed shore destruction unless we united as one for one leaf-bare and one new-leaf."

A cat behind Skystar stood up, " And why should we trust you?" He asked, "This could be a trap to take over our hunting grounds." It was Hanging star of Nightclan. Skystar stared at him, " What would Duskcaln gain from that? This land needs four clans not one large one."

Another cat behind her stood, it was Bleakstar from Dayclan. "That's only talk Skystar and you know it, we all want more space for hunting, I to can not beleve you. The last leader stood and walked over to Skystar. It was Ravenstar from Dawnclan. "We will agree to this truce with you Duskcaln, but will ask questions about your caln or another clan in our territory.

Skystars face seamed to brighten, "Thank you Ravenstar and we agree to your terms as we will do the same."

The two caln leaders bowed and Skystar sat down away from the rock having said all she needed. There deputy, Thundercloud came to sit by her and share tongs. Hanging star spoke next of how his clan needed time to recuperate after a recent flood.

"Idiot." Rainpaw muttered, "He says he needs time to recuperate after turning Skystar's request down."

Cleverpaw nodded slowly, "I can understand why he's worried though."

Rainpaw looked at her incredulously and she said quickly, "Its never happened before, there's bound to be misgiving."

The rest of the gathering happened without event and soon they were heading home.

Next day Cleverpaw and Rainpaw went out hunting with their mentors. Rainpaw cout a sparrow and a mouse wile Cleverpaw cout a vole and a mouse. It was a warm day and the forest was alive with pray. "What is the best way to catch a rabbit?" Leafttail asked.

"Sneaking quietly toward it…" Rainpaw began and Cleverpaw finished,

" Then a sudden jump!"

"Very good." Redclaw said, "Can you smell a rabbit anywhere near?"

The two friends sniffed the air. Cleverpaw answered first. "Behind the bush."

Rainpaw crept slowly toward it then jumped. He came back a few minutes later empty handed, "I was to noisy in the jump."

"Good try." Cleverpaw said supportively and Rainpaw shot her a thankful glance.

The two mentors smiled at each other and said. "Our new deputy wants us to evaluate you tomorrow on your hunting skills." Redclaw said, "You must go in separate directions hunting, You wont see us, but we'll see you."

The apprentices looked at each other excitedly, "Okay!"

That night it was hard for Rainpaw to sleep, he dreamed again, this time is showed his dead mother, Eveningflower. She spoke softly and said a strange frase, "Look for darkness in light, that is the key to surviving." He sat bolt upright then relaxed thinking. _Why would mum say that?_ His mother had died giving birth to him and his two sisters. His sisters hadn't survived and he was left with only the memory of his mothers voice and feeling. He had never seen her before, seeing as she had died before he had even opened his eyes. Yet he knew her in an instant, but what could that message mean? Look for darkness in light that is the key to surviving. He slowly fell back to sleep until Redclaws cool voice woke him and Cleverpaw from sleep.

"You will hunt near Lone tree." Leaftail told Rainpaw, "And Cleverpaw will hunt near Moon River. The two friends nodded to their mentors then smiled encouragingly at one another before heading off in separate directions.

As Rainpaw headed for Lone Tree, a tree in the middle of a clearing with no friends near it, his mind realed, and wondered back to the dream he'd had of the small black she-cat. Was that the darkness he should look for? No, it couldn't be…could it. His sent glands picked up the sent of squirrel and he distinctively went into a crouch. He pawed quietly nearer then in a flash he had killed it and buried it to come back for later.

He had bagged another squirrel, two mice and a Sparrow when he returned to camp. He soon found that Cleverpaw had done well to. She had three mice, a vole and a squirrel clamped in her mouth. They dumped there ketches in the piles and each took a mouse settling down to eat. They could hear Orangepaw and Leappaw gloating that they had seen a fox wile out on patrol with their mentors, Tigereye and Bluetail.

"Yea and ran off squealing for their mummy." Cleverpaw said smilingly. They both laughed and, having finished eating, walked into the apprentice den hoping to sleep. They had been hunting all day and were feeling as if they could sleep for a moon.

Rainpaw started cleaning and said between licks said, "I had a really strange dream last night."

"Really?" Cleverpaw asked, "Me to. Your mom came up to me and said, 'Look in the shadows for the key to the forest.'"

Rainpaw looked at her, "That's similar to what she said to me, 'Look for darkness in light that is the key to surviving.'"

"That's strange." Cleverpaw said, "What do you suppose it means?"

Rainpaw shrugged, "No idea… I was hopping you could tell me."

Cleverpaw looked thoughtful then said, "Nope! Nothing."

Next day Rainpaw and Leaftail went out on patrol. Rainpaw sniffed the air and bristled. "Smell something?" Leaftail asked.

"Nightclan." Rainpaw said and Leaftail nodded.

"Go warn the clan…" He sniffed again and said, "Were under attack."

Rainpaw nodded and darted off toward camp. He practically ran into Skystar at the entrance. "Rainpaw? What?" She asked.

"Were under attack!"

"Warriors! To me!" she called just as the Nightclan appeared in the entrance.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

_**The Call**_

Rainpaw ran to his leaders side and found Cleverpaw next to him. "Nice warning." She said.

"Thanks." Rainpaw purred back, "To bad there wasn't more time."

"Theres never time to think before an attack." Skystar whispered to him, "Its just the way it is."

The tension between the two clans was about to brake when Hangingstar signaled of his clan to attack. Skystar followed with a war cry. Rainpaw rushed at and apprentice about his size and jumped on top of him. The apprentice rolled over on to his back and jumped on Rainpaw wile he was on his back. Rainpaw glared at him and used his powerful back legs to scratch his underbelly. He ran screeching out of the clearing. He looked around and found Cleverpaw she was in trouble fighting with a warrior twice her size. He snuck up behind him and pounced on his back making him yowl in surprise. He shook and Rainpaw fell off. Cleverpaw bit his back leg and he turned around spitting. Rainpaw bit his left ear hard and let go as he ran screeching away.

By this time the Nightclan was almost gone, only a few stubborn warriors remained. He and Cleverpaw rushed over to help Redclaw defeat a brown tabby. It was over and the clan was safe. Fadedstripe came out to tend to the injures of the clan. Rainpaw winced as he put a substance on his forhead above his eye. "You'll have a nice scar there." He said smiling.

Rainpaw purred and nuzzled his friend, " Thanks Fadedstripe."

"No Problemo." And he walked away.

Cleverpaw came up to him, "Thanks for the help earlier."

"Hey I wouldn't just let him rip you to shreds."

Cleverpaw purred in amusement and asked, "Fell like hunting?"

"Shore." Rainpaw said, "Lets go ask Leaftail and Redclaw." The war had lasted until sun-high and the fresh kill pile was low.

The two warriors agreed and they headed out of camp. Cleverpaw spotted one first and headed in the direction of a rabbit munching on the grass nearby. She cout it before it had any idea what had happened.

"Very good, Cleverpaw." Redclaw said, "You've learned well." Rainpaw felt a sudden rush of pride for his friend. "Nice job he said walking over to were she had berried it.

"Thanks." She said. Rainpaw crouched he had smelt the sent of mouse. He stocked quietly over and stepped on a twig that sent the mouse running for cover. He silently cursed the stick and headed back empty handed.

"Stepped on a stick." He mumbled.

"That's okay." Leaftail told him, "Could have happened to any one."

They hunted until the sun was almost gone over the trees. They headed back with, two mice, a sparrow and a rabbit. They dropped their kill in the pile and each took a mouse.

"Interesting day." Cleverpaw said through bites.

"Yea." Rainpaw agreed. "You think Skystar is upset?"

"Maybe." His friend said, "I mean it happens all the time. She can't be to upset, if she is."

Rainpaw thought about it, "I guess your right."

After eating they both went to the apprentice den for a good nights sleep. Was it just him or could he hear the laughing of amused cats outside. Or was it the stars looking down and seeing a joke no one else could see.

The next two weeks went by without event. Even Orange paw and Leappaw stopped bragging about the fox they had seen. It hadn't rained or snowed in toughs two weeks and it was almost bare-leaf! Rainpaw woke to the smell of hot air in his nostrils.

"Still no rain?" Cleverpaw complained.

"Nope." Rainpaw told her. There leaders voice called them for a meeting.

"Today, we gather to see a kit be given an apprentice name." She said, "Brownkit," She called and a kit of a good size came up to her, "Will now be known as Brownpaw." There was a cheer before their leader finished. "Snowheart." She said, "I hope that you will give this new apprentice all your knowledge and skill." Brownpaw went over to Snowheart, a beautiful silver tabby, as Snowheart replied, "I will Skystar."

The clan all cheered Brownpaw's new name and went to congratulate him. Rainpaw gave him a lick on the head whispering, "Don't give Snowheart too much trouble."

Brownpaw smiled at him and said, "I won't give her grief… to often."

"You seem to know each other well." Cleverpaw said giving her chest a quick lick.

Rainpaw purred in amusement and said, "He's my little brother." Cleverpaw nodded trying to hide a smile. She gave him a playful hit on the cheek and backed away quickly. He purred in delight and, "Oh your on."

They tussled until their trainers called them for practice fighting. They went down to the practice ditch and impressed their mentors by knocking them over in a two on two attack.

"You two are getting good." Redclaw said standing up, "It wont be long before Skystar calls you two to go to Star Rocks with her."

The two friends looked excitedly at each other. Star Rocks was the sacred place Starclan talked to leaders of the clan before they got their new names. Every apprentice had to make a trip there once with Skystar before they could become an Warrior.

That night Rainpaw dreamed again. The small black cat was before him again, It was shivering in the cold night air. His mothers voice came to sooth the small cat. "find Rainsent. He will help you." Rainpaw stood up as his friend nugged him. "Skystar wants to see us." She said.

"What for?" Rainpaw asked trying not to let show how much his dream had upset him.

"Don't know. Guess we'll find out."Cleverpaw said striding out of the den and toward their leaders. Rainpaw followed trying to control his emotions. Had his mother just given him the info on what his Warrior name was? And who was that lost cat she had talked to? They reached Skystars den and meowed.

"Enter." Her cool voice called.

They slowly entered to see her facing them and smiling. "Hello, don't be shy come in." They went in further to face her. "Now, I hear you two are becoming quite the little Warriors." She said as they both sighed mentally and held back purrs of delight.

"I want you both to accompany me and glowingstone (The knew deputy) to Star Rocks." The two friends couldn't hold it back they purred in delight.

Their leader waited patiently for them to finish them said, "We head out this morning go get some traveling herbs from fadedstripe."

They ran out of the den and to Faded strip both of them stumbling to get the words out.


End file.
